


Dishonor

by Scotchkiss



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Thor: The Dark World, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:29:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26094163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scotchkiss/pseuds/Scotchkiss
Summary: Loki dies on Svartalfheim. His body is brought back to Asgard to be prepared for his funeral. What is the value of his soul? What is the value of Odin's?
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	Dishonor

**Author's Note:**

> Loki dies. Does he though?

“We found a body.” 

“Loki.” It was a statement, not a question. He had a feeling Loki would not come back from Svartalfheim. One final adventure for the Odinsons. He assumed only one would return.

“Where…?” 

“We took him to the healers,” the soldier answered. “They have called the priests to prepare his body.”

Odin flinched; he hated the idea of Loki being referred to as just a body. The boy always had too much life, too much energy, too much mischief. He was too much his entire life. How could he be just a body?

Slowly, the king walked to the healing wing. Grief threatened to topple him. He had only just bid farewell to Frigga. She had always believed in Loki, had always loved him unconditionally. Odin knew Loki would not see his mother again in the afterlife.

He entered the rooms and heard sniffling. The healers gathered around Loki, no, his body, laid out on a darkened soul forge. Lady Eir turned to her king, tears streaming down her face.

“I’ve known him since the day he was born. He’s too young,” she said. “Far too young.”

They parted to allow Odin a chance to say his good-byes. Before he could get close enough, however, the priests arrived. Two of them. They pushed their way to the head of the youngest prince’s sheet-covered body. 

Priests on Asgard were always male and always seers. Even though they possessed seidr, they were esteemed, not despised. Their visions were never questioned, as they had never been wrong. Even a king dared not disparage a priest. 

Respectfully, the pair of them pulled back the sheet to Loki’s waist to reveal his bare torso that bore the deep wound from the poisoned blade. It was similar to Frigga’s injury only this one was longer and went all the way through. 

The oldest priest, Taf, was not quite Odin’s age, but his hair was long and white, held back with twin braids surrounding his face, which was deeply lined. He wore traditional priest robes of silver and gold. He put his hand reverentially on Loki’s forehead.

“His soul has travelled to Valhalla, as was always predicted.”

He turned his head to Odin, as though he could hear the king’s thoughts. 

“You look surprised, Odin Borson,” he said accusingly. “Did you doubt your son was worthy of the Hall of the Fallen?”

“No, I…” he realized he could not lie to a priest. “Well, yes. He has done a great many dishonorable things. I am surprised he has gone to Valhalla.”

“Dishonorable? You are quite mistaken.”

Taf turned his body to face Odin fully.

“Was it dishonorable to interrupt the coronation of a king who was not fit to serve? No, it was to the benefit of Asgard. That is not dishonorable, even though two died in service to their realm. Yet we heard you later accused Loki of treason for that act. You must think it was dishonorable to attempt to keep Thor from returning to Asgard after you, yourself, had banished him. But you forget the youngest prince was acting as king regent. If you think a king of Asgard can act without integrity, then you must also admit that you, too, have acted thus.”

Odin bowed his head. He knew he had done many things that were ethically ambiguous and emphatically immoral.

“Ah, then, by your own standards, that is not dishonorable either,” Taf continued. “Fratricide? Attempted genocide? How can that be dishonorable when his fragile state of mind was a result of your duplicity and dishonesty? If Loki is guilty, then you are much more so.”

The Allfather looked irritably at the priest. He did not like where this was going.

“Was it dishonor to try to end his life when you denied him his family, his identity, his loyalty, his worth? Given his state of mind, again, no.”

“Then what of Midgard?” Odin asked angrily. “There was no honor in the slaughter of innocents!”

“Did you ever bother to ask him why? One simple question. Why? Did you ask?”

The king shook his head.

“You assumed his guilt before hearing what had happened. That is dishonor!” Taf growled. “Sentencing someone to life in prison without a trial. That is dishonor! Not allowing a son to say good-bye to his mother. That is dishonor!”

The old priest took a breath and stilled.

“Would you like to know why, Odin Borson? Why your son went to another realm with an army to search for the Tesseract?”

He nodded his head once. 

“He fell into the hands of a monster who tortured him physically and mentally. Thanos.”

Odin’s head popped up. His eyes were wide in shock.

“Over a year your son suffered at the hands of a madman. When he emerged on Midgard, he was not in his right mind. He had no control over his actions. He was merely a mind-controlled puppet. How could you ever have loved the boy and not asked why? That is dishonor. That is shameful.”

“I had no idea,” Odin admitted.

“Then why did you never ask?” Taf shouted.

“I…”

“Your ego. You thought Loki’s actions reflected badly on you, so you sought to disown him. To pretend he never existed. But they were your failings, not his.”

The king bowed his head. 

“It is your soul that is on a precipice, Odin Borson, as has always been predicted. Your scales are not balanced in favor of Valhalla. There is much for which you must atone. If you can.”

Taf turned back to Loki as the other priest handed him a damp cloth that they blessed in the temple before they came. He folded it precisely, and laid it on the gash. He whispered a few words, then began gently cleaning the mortal wound. As he cleaned, the other priest started combing the sand out of the youngest prince’s hair. It would need to be washed before it could be platted into elaborate braids. 

Odin watched silently as his son was prepared for his funeral. The healing staff stood some distance behind, quietly mourning.

Taf was about to turn Loki over to cleanse the wound on his back when he stilled. Simultaneously, the other priest stopped combing. They looked at each other, startled.

“The Norns have decided to give you a chance to right things with your son, Odin Borson,” Taf said, not looking at the king.

“What do you mean?”

“They have delivered him back to Asgard. He lives again. His soul is returned.”

Eir rushed forward, turning on the soul forge. It showed a faint heartbeat. The injury on Loki’s torso started to bleed with both blood and poison. The other healers joined in to start treatment.

Odin stepped back in shock. 

“How is this possible?” he asked Taf.

The elder priest took him aside as the healers worked. He looked into the distance for a moment, his unfocused eyes seeing something beyond the veil. 

“The Norns have determined that Prince Loki needed to heal his relationship with you. Too much was left unsaid, by both of you. He would have carried too much regret into Valhalla, and it would have diminished his eternal peace,” Taf explained. “Do not let this sacred gift slip through your fingers. Loki’s soul is safe. It has been to Valhalla, and will return someday. Your soul, on the other hand, is likely bound for Hel. You have a chance to shift the balance the other way. Make things right. With your realm, with your subjects. Mostly importantly, with your son. Treat him as the precious gift he is.”

“I will. I swear it,” Odin vowed. 

His heart suddenly felt lighter than it had in years. He felt hope.


End file.
